The C-Cased Constellation Thread

[kaplan]

kaapstadflaneur

Was wandering through Ebay earlier today and came across this two-tone C-case Ref 168.029 with an accompanying USA-made two-tone JB Champion jubilee-style bracelet. I know two-tone versions of the C-case were discussed earlier in this thread; I believe they are somewhat uncommon as I've only seen a handful over the years. However, the dial looks off to me though -- it's missing "T Swiss Made T" at the bottom and the lume blobs at the hour markers appear to be slightly uneven, suggesting that there's been some work done to the dial at some point. Photos added for posterity.

I was going to buy this for science, so many oddities on one watch, this is the watch that triggered me to research the american bracelet with 132 endlinks deeper

My theory is that this watch is so hideous that the Swiss didn't sign it with "Swiss Made"

I have a thing for ugly C-Cases and mysteries, so I wanted it, but as I remember the seller wasn't that exciting to interact with

noless

Imagine my surprise when the local OSC had the 3011 just in stock, I was expecting it to be a special order from Bien!

My 168.0056 with it's NOS case finally has a bracelet to match.

Are the endlinks 518 marked or unmarked bent endlinks by the way?

Edited: Mar 7, 2022

 

[noless]

kaplan

I was going to buy this for science, so many oddities on one watch, this is the watch that triggered me to research the american bracelet with 132 endlinks deeper

My theory is that this watch is so hideous that the Swiss didn't sign it with "Swiss Made"

I have a thing for ugly C-Cases and mysteries, so I wanted it, but as I remember the seller wasn't that exciting to interact with



Are the endlinks 518 marked or unmarked bent endlinks by the way?

unmarked bent, but I did see them vacuum packed in with the bracelet before they measured my wrist and installed it, they do seem a bit less prone to wiggling around than my old 518's

 

[kaplan]

The 135.041 - 166.041 Geneve's are truly our arch enemies, so many 518 endlinks are filed down to 18mm to fit into them - I also rarely see their rare bracelets on C-Case's, even though they are 18mm they look pretty good, the flexoflex ones etc.

For this reason you have to be very careful when buying 1040's online, around 25% of the time endlinks are 18mm

 

[noless]

I am currently looking for the replacement case back seal for my 168.027, the old one long since turned into tar, as such I cant tell if it was originally a round or flat o-ring, can anyone shed some light on this one?

My newer 168.056 is flat, but the slot milled to hold the o-ring on the 027 has an inner lip, so I'm not sure if they are the same.

 

[Dean Fuller]

Here is mine.

 

[kaplan]

Even eBay prices are higher, and such a good condition 🙁

https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en...156?browse_all=1&page=1&q=omega+constellation

 

[DT11]

Spruce

Photos? 😀

Here you go.

 

[kaplan]

To retaliate against the Geneve C-Case I’ve acquired their rarest bracelet and put that on a Constellation 😀

 

[DT11]

kaplan

To retaliate against the Geneve C-Case I’ve acquired their rarest bracelet and put that on a Constellation 😀

That is a stunning bracelet you have. Are the links solid?

 

[kaplan]

Thanks, no they are not solid, surprisingly light bracelet with a high presence

 

[kaplan]

A small tidbit that I keep forgetting, it's a fun rarity to use in re-dial or not discussions, SWISS and MADE can be separated on certain C-Case's, sub dialed gold coated 168.029's are usually (maybe all) like this, my Türler is like this, if anyone was following the recent Meister one on eBay, it was like that too (staining on the dial though, so I didn't bid, seller didn't clarify what it was, looked pretty bad around the logo). Interestingly only the gold coated one, the steel one is regular

 

[TIMElyBehaviour]

1972 day date today.

 

[kaplan]

Seller logic: Can't find the correct bracelet? Mutilate and cram a 1040/518 in there - no need to sell/trade for a fitting bracelet, no point in selling them separately

Very sad as gold coated ones are rare 🙁

Edit: I'm very traumatised in this aspect, recently bought a riveted 1093 bracelet, moved mountains to get it, before I receive it seller sends me a picture of it on an 18mm watch, filed endlinks ... I've been seeing the riveted 515 endlinks on non-fitting watches ironically, offering to buy them, offering trades for them which include non-riveted 515's, costs and an Omega Milanese on top, but nope, complete disregard 🙁

 

[JGreenman]

Yes,

kaplan

Seller logic: Can't find the correct bracelet? Mutilate and cram a 1040/518 in there - no need to sell/trade for a fitting bracelet, no point in selling them separately

Very sad as gold coated ones are rare 🙁

Edit: I'm very traumatised in this aspect, recently bought a riveted 1093 bracelet, moved mountains to get it, before I receive it seller sends me a picture of it on an 18mm watch, filed endlinks ... I've been seeing the riveted 515 endlinks on non-fitting watches ironically, offering to buy them, offering trades for them which include non-riveted 515's, costs and an Omega Milanese on top, but nope, complete disregard 🙁

Those are some sad looking endlinks for sure... 🙁

 

[kaplan]

A bit of a warning, there are now fake Omega signed armored crystals, maybe there already were, but I've asked and confirmed, they are aftermarket and laser etched

I believe I bought 2 of them by mistake some months ago, they fit, their sizes are correct, but they are not perfect like original crystals, they are a bit loose - considering lately original crystals can be had regularly for around $50 - don't pay $25 for fake ones until they improve their standards and sizing is my advice, also might be a good idea to not buy the crystals from an untrusted source

Currently it's easy to spot them as they are only sold by size and not Omega model numbers, and sellers are decent individuals, asked them all, they were all transparent except the one I bought from

Obviously the advice is very unscientific, the recent ones I've seen are all from UK, I'm customs/post challenged, but when a friend is coming home from UK I might buy one of the UK aftermarket crystals and do a more in depth analysis with sizes, if they are identical to the one I bought that I think is aftermarket (maybe its original but for a different watch), it might be more of a widespread issue

Ultimately this is sad because there were old NOS crystals that were marked by size, now it won't be possible to trust them

Edit: In the future it'll probably be very possible for a trained individual to root out the fakes, I've quickly checked compared some existing crystal etchings, there are many styles, but the fake one is distinct from the eBay photos, it seems flat feet crystals will be valuable as fakes are curled feet and there are vintage curled feet ones too, so hard to trust curled feets overall everywhere but flat ones are gold 😀

Edited: Mar 17, 2022

 

[MKNL]

Hi there, here's mine, looking for fitting endlinks......

 

[noless]

Got a non runner 168.0056 as a project, good amount of rust in the back of it, but the balance and gear train was in good condition.
With the aid of another non runner 1012 donor movement I have finally gotten her running and in beat.

If anyone happens to have a blue dial to fit (and the matching hands) I might be interested in taking them off your hands if the price is right 😉

 

[noless]

kaplan

A bit of a warning, there are now fake Omega signed armored crystals, maybe there already were, but I've asked and confirmed, they are aftermarket and laser etched

I believe I bought 2 of them by mistake some months ago, they fit, their sizes are correct, but they are not perfect like original crystals, they are a bit loose - considering lately original crystals can be had regularly for around $50 - don't pay $25 for fake ones until they improve their standards and sizing is my advice, also might be a good idea to not buy the crystals from an untrusted source

Currently it's easy to spot them as they are only sold by size and not Omega model numbers, and sellers are decent individuals, asked them all, they were all transparent except the one I bought from

Obviously the advice is very unscientific, the recent ones I've seen are all from UK, I'm customs/post challenged, but when a friend is coming home from UK I might buy one of the UK aftermarket crystals and do a more in depth analysis with sizes, if they are identical to the one I bought that I think is aftermarket (maybe its original but for a different watch), it might be more of a widespread issue

Ultimately this is sad because there were old NOS crystals that were marked by size, now it won't be possible to trust them

Edit: In the future it'll probably be very possible for a trained individual to root out the fakes, I've quickly checked compared some existing crystal etchings, there are many styles, but the fake one is distinct from the eBay photos, it seems flat feet crystals will be valuable as fakes are curled feet and there are vintage curled feet ones too, so hard to trust curled feets overall everywhere but flat ones are gold 😀

I think I also got stung by one of these from the UK i got on ebay for a seamaster...
The tension ring appears to be a chromed plastic ring... I'm a bit annoyed about this

 

[JGreenman]

kaplan

A bit of a warning, there are now fake Omega signed armored crystals, maybe there already were, but I've asked and confirmed, they are aftermarket and laser etched

I believe I bought 2 of them by mistake some months ago, they fit, their sizes are correct, but they are not perfect like original crystals, they are a bit loose - considering lately original crystals can be had regularly for around $50 - don't pay $25 for fake ones until they improve their standards and sizing is my advice, also might be a good idea to not buy the crystals from an untrusted source

Currently it's easy to spot them as they are only sold by size and not Omega model numbers, and sellers are decent individuals, asked them all, they were all transparent except the one I bought from

Thanks for sharing this! 👍

 

[kaplan]

No problem and I bought mine from Japan, there's a metal one piece ring inside, well machined and definitely metal, however it wasn't a good fit for our models, lesson I learned is to pay the $50-60 for crystals, and not cheap out and risk things at ~$40 - lost gamble

Another tidbit, received a 168.027 today, normally I knew there was a white shade and a grey shade for the meteor dials, this one is almost pearl even though I failed to capture it on photo, the cuts are much deeper as well, that's why in this angle it looks as if it could even be a redial (one of the minute marks appear wider, when it's actually not, good experience to keep in mind as it'll likely make this model always photograph like a redial as the grooves are deep and they distort randomly), but with close up comparisons it compares well to other examples, this one has it's 6'o clock minute marked bumped up a tiny bit

I have a 168.017 I compared up close with, it's a grey meteor dial, while the layout is the same, they are definitely very different

Overall the meteor dial is even more dazzling on a 564 calibre, the 751 calibre has a higher height and the dials are 3D - the flat meteor dials on the 564 is such a different experience after being used to the grooved ones of 751's